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AFL Head Coach Dean Cokinos speaks during a news conference in Washington, Thursday, July 14, 2016, to unveil the Washington Arena Football League’s team name, logo, and color. (AP Photo/Zach Gibson) **FILE** more >

The Arena Football League’s Washington Valor announced Wednesday that head coach Dean Cokinos has been “relieved of his head coaching duties.”

Defensive coordinator Benji McDowell was named the Valor’s interim head coach.

The Valor started the 2018 season 0-4 and sit at the bottom of the four-team AFL’s standings. Quarterback Nick Davila, the former league MVP who signed with the Valor in March, injured his neck in Week 2 and was ruled out for the rest of the season.

“We felt that a change in leadership was necessary to put the Valor in the best possible position to win games,” said Roger Mody, a Monumental Sports & Entertainment representative. “Building a team from the ground up is no small feat and we are grateful to Dean for everything he has done for this organization over the last two years and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Cokinos was the first coach in Valor history after serving as head coach of a number of other AFL and Professional Indoor Football League teams. Before Washington, his most recent stop was as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Tampa Bay Storm.

McDowell worked for Cokinos in Tampa Bay and was a defensive line coaching intern at the University of Georgia in 2015.

The Valor look for their first win of the year when they host the Baltimore Brigade in Week 5 on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Capital One Arena.